A brilliant idea string makers can have for free

[JimmyM]

Flats that sound like they're a decade old right out of the package. I was thinking about this while rubbing hamburger grease and headsweat on my new Labellas. Why should we have to age our strings? That's stupid in this day and age. There should be a flatwound string that sounds worn out doornail dead immediately. Who's with me?

[jelwood]

If they sounded worn out, door-nail-dead immediately, the only time you'd ever have to change them would be when they'd break. So companies could do that, I guess, but they'd have to design the strings to break every so often, otherwise they might not get enough business. And we all know how unhappy people are with their cell phones breaking every few months...

[One Drop]

I like the idea, but any string will change at least a bit when wearing in, so you'd end up with an even deader flat after a while.

Some flats don't need much break in- I find Rotos and Pyramids hit the dead (but nice) zone with nary a little exposure to air...

The only practical solution I can think of is a coated flat, but who knows if that would sound anything like a worn in one? There was some talk of DR releasing one, but nothing came of it yet.

BTW, I've heard the DR flats are pretty broken in sounding from the outset, but can't vouch for them myself.

[Basshoofd]

You're not supposed to buy flatwound strings. You need to find them on a very old bass and leave them on.

[P. Bass]

You just made my day Jimmy.
It reminds me of the OLD Fender flats that were stiff & short decay. The problem is - I play flats exclusively on my bass & what we're talking about limits me big time for much of what I play. I just spent a pocket full on a Sad' P4 w/PJ's & I have found that using high density foam strip under strings of calculated width, thickness, & variable placement distance from the bridge is HUGE for getting the sound of THUNK w/ Sad' flats. It requires experimenting so you don't sharpen the notes but I've got it DOWN.
B.

[Mike M.]

I hear ya, Jimmy! I did that around five years (or so) ago with my Fender flats. Wanted flats that gave me that "Jamerson/McCartney sound" right away. Put a new set of Fender flats on and while a they were a step in the right direction they were still a lot brighter than what I wanted.

As luck would have it this was during the summer and it was muggier and hotter than all blazes outide. Cut the lawn, had a good sweat going and thought..."I wonder if?" Wiped the sweat off my forehead with my hand and went across the string's numerous times. Let it sit overnight and the next day I couldn't believe it. Those strings sounded like they had at least ten years of hard, sweaty gigging on them! I was amazed. Sounded like McCartney's strings from "Sgt. Pepper" I kid you not!

Those strings are on my Squire Affinity P bass and they're NOT coming off!!

[madbassplaya]

Coming soon!

Fender Roadworn Flats

[Jim Nazium]

Originally Posted by madbassplaya

Coming soon!

Fender Roadworn Flats

Nice

[Rickett Customs]

Originally Posted by One Drop

BTW, I've heard the DR flats are pretty broken in sounding from the outset, but can't vouch for them myself.

I know this.... "Legends", do have a nice worn in sound, but just not the "dragged around in a gravel driveway" feel.

[lowfreq33]

I get you. I absolutely LOVE old rounds. That's my tone. Recently I broke a string, and these new strings are driving me crazy. Been rubbing all kinds of sweat in there to kill that twang. Maybe some kind of hyperbaric Vaseline chamber to get them sounding all sweaty right out of the pack?

[OhValhalla]

I like it! However, it loses some of the sentimental value because it isn't your blood, sweat and tears that made 'em dead.

What I do now is keep a set of the older mexican Fender flats on my backup bass. Play them while they are bright there (It's a jazz so I find it sounds better with a bit brighter strings.) and then after they've worn sufficiently, they'll be my backup strings in case any on my main bass decide to give. There it is... two sets of Fender flats to last a lifetime!

[mmbongo]

Wow, they still make flatwound strings? Who knew? I thought the 50's were over.

[bjabass]

Originally Posted by madbassplaya

Coming soon!

Fender Roadworn Flats

Wonder where they are going to get the sweat...

Wow, they still make flatwound strings? Who knew? I thought the 50's were over.

Yep.

[Stealth]

Originally Posted by madbassplaya

Coming soon!

Fender Roadworn Flats

Thank you. My monitor needed that coffee-stain.

[bigtexashonk]

Stephen Stills strings would have bbq sauce rubbed into them.

[klokker]

I wouldn't buy them. Give me new roundwounds any day. Well, with a few hours on them, not years

[lowfreq33]

Originally Posted by bjabass

Wonder where they are going to get the sweat...

Mexico.

[Coolhandjjl]

Originally Posted by mmbongo

Wow, they still make flatwound strings? Who knew? I thought the 50's were over.

But just a few weeks ago I started a post stating that three of my basses now have flats on them. Go figure!

New idea for the BassBrites folks, BassDulls. Pads soaked in Crisco.

[mordechai]

I wouldn't buy them but I bet they'd sell!

The real marketing strategy would be that they are handmade using some sort of antiquated sounding metal that they supposedly used in the "good old days" of string making.

Perfect for your high end custom relic'd bass, 80 bucks a set.

[RCCollins]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Flats that sound like they're a decade old right out of the package. I was thinking about this while rubbing hamburger grease and headsweat on my new Labellas. Why should we have to age our strings? That's stupid in this day and age. There should be a flatwound string that sounds worn out doornail dead immediately. Who's with me?

IMO the old version fender 9050s were pretty darn close. The new ones, not so much...